Sacrifice
by Obiwanakin
Summary: Sometimes you just have to sacrifice. It's easier knowing your dream will live on in someone else.  Slight ZoSan.


Zoro kept his swords posed at a defensive stance, his eyes darting around as they searched for another enemy. He panted heavily through his nose as his teeth gripped tight around Wado Ichimonji. This particular fight was difficult; not impossible, not by any means, but difficult.

The crew had been split up by a strange band of rogues that roamed land instead of sea, and had attacked the Mugiwara Crew when they had docked at a small island (which was apparently inhabited by many of these vicious men.) The men had an array of different weapons -clubs, swords, guns. Normally this would be an easy win on the Mugiwaras' part, but instead of the usual clumsy swings and misfires from the enemy, these men were actually striking blows wiyh such astounding precision that even Zoro himself was thrown off a bit. Even Luffy, the ever maneuverable, had been grazed over his arm by a bullet.

Thankfully the swordsman wasn't fighting completely alone. Sanji had managed to stick by his side and, even though he would never admit, Zoro was grateful. The blond was nearby fighting off five, maybe six rogues by himself. Zoro couldn't tell for sure because of the exhaustion and blood loss from a nasty gash on his leg making his head spin. Suddenly, Zoro felt the air behind him shift. In a flurry of blades, Zoro swung back with his swords. The rogue behind him fell in a spray of blood. The swordsman glanced down at the dead rogue with satisfaction in his eyes and blood dripping lazily from his swords.

"Oi!" Sanji cried abruptly from behind. "Look out, Zoro!"

Zoro's head spun around just as the repeating 'bang' of three guns going off in sequence rang out in the bloody clearing. He saw several guns pointed at him so he smashed his eyes shut and held up his swords in a weak attempt at deflecting the bullets. He awaited the painful impact of bullets forcing there way into skin, but it never came. Zoro forced his eyes open and glanced around; what he saw made his jaw drop.

There in front of him was Sanji, arms spread, shielding Zoro from the bullets. The cook trembled and fell to his knees, then crumpled face-first onto the ground. There was a spray of blood on the ground around them. The urge to rush forward to Sanji's aid was fought off by the swordsman looking on in shock and fear and pain -it wouldn't do either of them any good if he was to be shot as well- and instead he focused on the anger and rage building within him.

With a cry of fury, Zoro lashed out with his swords. Metal slid effortlessly through flesh and screams of pain seemed to resound from every direction. The rogues attempted to launch at Zoro with their weapons only to fall as they got too close, sides or chest or necks or all three spewing blood. This barrage of death didn't last long; those who weren't dead ran into the nearby treeline in fear. Soon the white wall of anger lifted from Zoro's vision and he was finally able to focus on the barely breathing cook at his feet. Zoro dropped to his knees and placed his swords aside, notably with less care than was normal. He turned Sanji over onto his back, barely keeping back a grimace.

The front of Sanji's suit was torn to shreds and soaked through with copious amounts of blood, darkening the black material even more. There was now way to see where all of the bullets had entered through the mess of the cook's chest, but Zoro knew there was no need to even try. With every lightening beat of Sanji's heart, more blood seeped up; his breathing was so shallow it was almost nonexistent. The blue eyes opened a sliver and Sanji smiled as he saw Zoro leaning over him.

A sobbed ripped through Zoro with overwhelming force. He ran a calloused hand along Sanji's blond hair, stopping to cup a pale cheek. "You... You _stupid_ baka! Why- Fuck, just look at you!"

"Had to save you; couldn't let you die." Sanji said feebly.

"But what about you?" Zoro boomed, outraged. Tears coursed dow his cheeks in streams. "What about your dream...?"

"Sometimes you have to sacrifice. Zoro, you want to be the world's greatest swordsman. Only you can do that for yourself. But All Blue... If I go, then I have you and Luffy and the crew to find it for me. You guys'll tell the shitty old man for me. I'll have my dream in you all." Sanji smiled softly, a tear of his own falling to streak down the side of his face.

"G-Goddamn it, Sanji..." Another sob. "We'll find it for you. We'll find it and we'll bring Zeff there and the Baratie and it'll all be for you!" Zoro cried out, the hand not on Sanji's face gripping tightly to the cook's pant leg. "I'll follow your dream even if it kills me."

"But don't- don't forget your own." Sanji let a weak cough force past his lips followed by a line of blood that soon dribbled down his cheek and into the blond halo of hair around his head. "You've gotta be the best, Zoro."

Zoro nodded stiffly. Tears blurred his vision and he wiped them away so that he could see his lover's face in his final moments. Sanji smiled one last time before the light of life hidden in his eyes dimmed and his mouth went slack.

He was gone.


End file.
